Central Election Commission Secretary Yury Chokan told RIA Novosti that three opposition parties looked set to clear the 6% threshold for entry into parliament, while the other 13 groups on Sunday's ballot would not make the cut.
"The Communists have gained 49.85% of votes, the Liberal Party - 12.97%, the Liberal Democratic Party - 12.22%, and the Our Moldova alliance - 9.88%," he said.
The partial results suggest a tally of 60-62 seats for the Communists, with 61 votes in the 101-member chamber needed to elect a new president. Voronin has served two terms and must be replaced when the new parliament is sworn in.
The Central Election Commission said 59.49% of the more than 2.6 million eligible voters cast ballots in the elections, monitored by some 5,500 local and international observers.
